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| Picture courtesy of http://chicorita.com |
Should men and women be treated differently? When rephrased, this question is actually asking if men and women are equal. This question is not new and has been grappled with by thinkers in the past, present, and I’m certain in the future as well. It is a very delicate and sensitive subject. The world has been dominated by men probably since time began, and is still dominated by men. But will it continue to be dominated by men? I guess time will tell.
However, let’s take a moment and go back in time to see how philosophers responded to this issue. The social status of women in ancient Greece was a very limited one to say the least. In an era where women were little better than domestic slaves, there were few supporters of any kind of equality for them. One of these rare supporters, surprisingly, was none other than the great philosopher Plato. This was unheard of in Greek society - or any other society for that matter. A woman in ancient Greece was typically always under the control or protection of a man. In the Republic, Plato argued that women (at least those in the upper classes) must be assigned social roles, in the ideal state, equal (or approximately) to those of men. Plato's position in the Republic is based upon his view that, "…women and men have the same nature in respect to the guardianship of the state.” First he compares the apparent weaknesses of women to men and how women (and men) each have individual strengths and talents. For this reason, the woman then has equally, with the man, the same qualities which makes a guardian. He suggested that the same education which makes a man a good guardian would make a woman a good guardian.
A generation later, Aristotle (Plato’s most famous disciple), had exactly the opposite view regarding women. He believed a man to be an inherently better leader than a woman - the male is by nature fitter for command than the female - and the male is by nature superior and the female inferior; to Aristotle, the male was a ruler and the female was merely a subject. Aristotle basically said that a woman should be obedient to the will of her husband/men. He took a rather strict view of gender roles even comparing the male/female relationship to that of a master and slave.
Fast forward to 2015, the debate about gender equality is still raging. While significant strides have been made since the days of Plato and Aristotle, the inequality between the sexes still persists. For the feminists and their supports, “equal” doesn’t mean “same” – it means that men and women should be given the same opportunities, such as being offered the same jobs, assuming the same skill level; offered the same pay amount, assuming the same quality of work; and given the same ability to live a life free of fear and sexual harassment. Although laws are on the books now to try to rectify some of the equalities between men and women in the work place, the rest of society has to also do its part in the social arena. Some things you just can’t legislate laws for, it will take a shift in societal attitudes. Our attitudes determine what we value and how we treat each other.
Despite being a product of a culture where women were and still are seen as less than men, my views on the issue have always been progressive. My take on the issue, from a very young age, has always aligned with that of Plato. Not that I was a young philosopher, or even remotely close to one, but I’ve always believed in basic fairness. Growing up in The Gambia, like much of the world, women were always in the back seat when it came to decision-making at almost all levels, but at the front seat of taking care of the household. Their duties weren’t official, but they were the hardest. Additionally, for a good number of women, they had to compete with a second, third or even a fourth wife in their marriages. Luckily for me, this was not the case in my immediate family, but it was the reality for some of my friends and neighbors. Even though this practice is sanctioned by the culture and I knew it, these inequalities still don’t sit well with me. To quote Aristotle "…the worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal." But as clearly articulated by today’s feminists and their supports, “equal” doesn’t mean “same” – it means that men and women should be given the same opportunities, that's all. Wish someone told Aristotle that!
Now that I have two daughters of my own, I have become even more of a believer in the equal treatment of men and women, not just in the work place, but in society and in general. I see talent in my daughters that would rival any boy their age, and I hope with time my advocacy will intensify. I’m a strong believer that talent has no gender and should not be assigned one.
